The Foreigner
by The Song Siren
Summary: Ying had never meet a female foreigner. And when he did, he was far from impressed.


Ying stretched his body, running a hand though his shoulder length hair.

A year after the events that almost brought China to its knees, the rebuilding of Cangzhen was complete. It would have only taken a few mouths, but only Ying and his cousin, Long, were working on it. Seh and Fu lived in the Southern Warlord palace with their fathers – Mong, the Warlord, and Sanfu, his leading General. Hok and Malao were traveling with Hok's parents, Bing and Captain Henrik.

Letters made their way to Ying and Long every now and then, as well as Seh and Fu trying their best to visit.

But they were helping train the soldiers, who needed all the help in the world.

"The Training Hall looks good."

Ying rolled his shoulders, not even spearing his cousin a glance. Of course it looked good; Ying just spent the better part of four months on it.

All it needed were weapons.

"Any word from Seh?" Ying asked, crossing his arms over his bare chest. Long stood next to him, the 14 year old matching the 17 year old's height.

"Not ye-" Long paused, his eyes moving from the Training Hall to the entree. Ying looked too; he could also feel the unfamiliar Chi moving towards them. Nodding to Long, Ying moved forward, pushing open the great doors and standing in the doorway. His arms crossed, Ying narrowed his eyes at the horse walking towards him.

Atop the horse, his rider sat, covered in a black cloak, which had Ying raising his eyebrow. It was mid-summer – who would wear it in this heat?

Coming up behind the horse and his rider was a large cart, a blanket covering it.

The rider stopped their horse just feet away from Ying. Now that Ying had a closer look, the figure was small, most likely female. Hardening his look, Ying spoke.

"Who are you and what is your business?"

The rider reached one hand up, small and tanned, and held it out.

"I swear," a feminine voice said, a light accent to her voice, "I come in peace." Ying scowled; like he hadn't heard that before. "And I'm here because Warlord Mong asked me to bring you and your cousin a few things." That had Ying interested – ignoring for the moment that she was most likely foreign.

"Mong?"

The girl sighed.

"Yes, Mong. He figured the Temple would be done by now, so he asked me to bring a few things." Ying raised an eyebrow. Mong asked a possible foreign girl to bring them stuff?

He didn't buy it.

He opened his mouth, to voice these thoughts, only for Long's hand to rest on his shoulder. He side glanced at his cousin, who only smiled a little.

"What prove do you have, stranger?"

"He said this would happen." The girl mumbled, reaching into her cloak and bring out a scroll. She tossed it to Ying. "Right there. Prove that I'm not a fake, gentlemen."

With another scowl, Ying opened it, taking a moment to look at the symbol of the Southern Warlord, and with Long reading over his shoulder, read it.

To sum it up, Mong wrote she really was there, as asked by him.

Long pulled away from Ying and smiled at the girl, letting her pass though. She nodded, and stopped her horse just in front of the Great Hall. She hopped off; her face still covered.

Ying still kept his scowl in place as she bowed to them.

"My name is Isabella and I am a member of Hok's father crew."

Long's face brightened, if only a little.

"You know Hok, Isabella?"

"I do." Ying couldn't see it, but he knew the girl, _Isabella_, was smiling. "Nice girl; she's looking forwarding to seeing you both again."

"She coming?" Long asked. Isabella nodded.

"They all are; but not for a few more days. Business and all that good stuff. The only reason I'm here is because Mong was in a hurry to give you two something." She reached her hands up to her hood and pulled it back.

Ying blinked. He had never seen a female Round Eye before, never even thought about it.

Long golden hair framed her face and large, round green eyes. Her shirt was off of her shoulders, held up by, if Ying remembers, a black corset with shoulder straps. Black pants were tucked into dark brown boots, which gave her an inch or two of height.

Which she needed, Ying noted – even in the heels, she just reached his chin.

Throwing the cloak over the horse, she chuckled.

"This is why I have the cloak – there's only so many times I can see that look before it gets old." Long coughed.

"What did Mong want us to have?"

Isabella stepped on one of the wheels of the cart and pulled the blanket back.

Weapons; spears, swords, everything one could ever think of was in the cart.

With amazement, Ying reached in and grabbed one of the spears. He fingered it, nodding his head in approval. He glanced back up at the grinning foreigner.

"This is what Mong was in a hurry to give two great Kung Fu masters? Weapons?" Blowing a piece of hair out of her face, Isabella reached into the cart, pulling out a good sized chest. She patted it, pulling a key out of her pocket.

"There are six of these in here." She waved the key. "Any guesses?"

Ying gave her blank stare. Long chuckled and fingered the chest.

"I have a good guess, but why don't you tell us, Isabella?"

"I will, thank you, one with manners." She passed a look to Ying, who only scowled. She put the key in the keyhole and opened it.

Scrolls.

Long smiled as she handed him the chest, Ying watching as Long sat it down and pulled one out.

"'_Tiger'_." Long read, glancing over at Ying who only watched.

Scrolls. There were more.

"How?" Ying asked, kneeling besides the open chest. Isabella kneeled across from him.

"Seh frond a whole underground library full of scrolls." She answered, smiling as both just looked.

"Thank you, for bringing them to us, Isabella." Long said, smiling at her. Isabella smiled back.

"My pleasure, Long."

Isabella pulled the rest of the chests out and helped them both take the scrolls to their new home. On the walk back to the cart.

"You leaving now?" Ying asked, watching the horse as he neighed at him. Isabella scowled, crossing her arms.

"Really? I just spent the last week traveling here and you want to send me back right away?"

"Yes." Ying shot at her, to which she just glared. Long pressed his hands to both of their shoulders, standing the way of their glaring contest.

"We have room and she did travel all this way to bring us weapons and the scrolls." Ying hated that look of victory that fell over Isabella's face.

"And," Isabella added, "Hok and the others will be in a few days. The plan was to meet them here and then travel back together." She paused. "It was in the letter." Long nodded. Ying scowled. ". . . If scowling the one look you have? Because that's all you've been doing sense I got here." The oldest growled.

"It's only because of the company."

Isabella huffed and crossed her arms under her chest.

"You sure a ladies' man, Ying."

Before Ying could get another word in, Long did.

"It's getting late. Why don't we have dinner and retire? We have a long day tomorrow putting the weapons and scrolls away and preparing everything for our brothers and sister." Ying bit back a growl and only nodded, turning away from Long and Isabella, stalking inside.

Isabella turned to Long, a confused look on her face.

"Is he this way with every foreigner?"

* * *

_The Five Ancestors _is owned by Jeff Stone. I own Isabella.

I am just a fan.

That is all.


End file.
